The Gallipoli Campaign is often spoken of in hallowed tones as a turning point in Australian history – the moment that Australia first proved itself as a nation on the international stage. Nigel Jamieson’s stage production of Gallipoli brings a healthy dose of reality to the Anzac myth, while acknowledging the massive sacrifices that colonial forces made in this fabled military expedition, which was doomed from the start.

Jamieson, who wrote and devised the production, has a reputation for surprising with his flair for large-scale, energetic theatre. He has not disappointed with Gallipoli, which delivers close to three hours of non-stop entertainment. Buzzing with energy, this vibrant performance is physical theatre at its best, featuring everything from live music and dancing to acrobatics. However, despite its blockbuster character, Gallipoli also strikes a poignant chord by exploring the sometimes hopeless and sometimes optimistic stories of individuals caught up in the conflict. It is this juxtaposition that gives Gallipoli its emotional firepower.

While the eye-catching and showy features of this performance – the acrobatics and amazing use of multimedia – are impressive, what really makes Gallipoli work is its honesty. Unlike many retellings of this Australian legend, this performance does not sugar-coat the story of the Australian diggers at Gallipoli. In fact, it explores in hilarious detail the outbreak of venereal disease amongst Australian troops who were incorrigibly undisciplined whilst undergoing training in Cairo. Indeed, the Aussies had to be reminded that they were there to win a war, not bunk a whore!

However, by acknowledging the faults of the Australian troops, and by showing them as humans, Jamieson makes the Anzac message even more cathartic. He shows that these ordinary men, who were by no means well disciplined or organised, managed to withstand atrocious conditions and the constant onslaught from opposing troops, with courage and fortitude. This being the case, the performance seemed to lose some of its momentum in the second act, as it focused too much on the stories of the individuals on the battlefield, which became somewhat repetitive.

This was overcome by the sheer scale of physical action taking place on the stage, including daring acrobatics, which was reinforced by outstanding use of multimedia. While the set was notably minimalist, a large screen towards the back of the stage had various backdrops electronically projected onto it, lending depth to the stage and very realistically setting the scene. Indeed, it seemed as if there was no task too large for the backstage team.

While the casting was hard to fault, Peter Carroll was the definitely the highlight. The veteran of Australian theatre, who has recently starred in other acclaimed productions such as The Season At Sarsaparilla, brings comedy to the stage through his deliciously ridiculous Egyptian dancing. However, I was most impressed by John Gaden's more serious portrayal of General Hamilton, who has long been derided by historians for his incompetence leading the Gallipoli campaign. Gaden’s Hamilton has a tragic sense of humanity which almost leaves the audience feeling sorry for him.

Backing up the main players was a chorus consisting of third-year students from NIDA.

Gallipoli is a blockbuster with a heart. While it certainly delivers crowd-pleasing thrills, it also tells a moving story, evoking a strong emotional response from the audience. While the Sydney Theatre Company hasn’t always got its performance selection right in recent times, it has definitely backed a winner in Gallipoli.